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Thousands of student protesters returned to the streets of New Delhi on Tuesday, a day after a violent police crackdown left more than 100 people injured, vowing to continue demonstrations until Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns over a series of controversial entrance examination scandals.
The renewed protests came despite tear gas, baton charges and multiple criminal cases filed against demonstrators following Monday’s march towards Parliament, where thousands of students converged to demand accountability over alleged examination paper leaks, grading irregularities and the deaths of more than 20 students who reportedly took their own lives after the controversies.
By Tuesday morning, protesters had regrouped at Jantar Mantar, one of the capital’s main protest sites, declaring they would not retreat despite the police action.
“We will continue to resist and demand accountability from the government. We will not back down until Dharmendra Pradhan resigns,” said Abhijeet Dipke, leader of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), the political pressure group spearheading the movement.
The protests have emerged as one of the most significant youth-led movements in India in recent years, fuelled by growing frustration among millions of students over the integrity of the country’s highly competitive entrance examination system.
Demonstrators accused the government of failing to ensure fair examinations after reports of leaked question papers, alleged evaluation errors and administrative lapses affected millions of candidates nationwide.
Monday’s protest descended into chaos as demonstrators attempted to march towards Parliament. Police fired tear gas and used force to disperse the crowd, leaving bloodstains, broken barricades, scattered belongings and damaged property across central New Delhi.
Police later registered at least five criminal cases against protesters over allegations of violence, stone throwing and vandalism.
Many protesters, however, accused authorities of using excessive force against peaceful demonstrators.
“This government is treating us like terrorists and criminals,” said 18-year-old student Anshul Dev, who attended the rally with friends, several of whom suffered injuries during the clashes.
The movement has gained additional momentum following the removal of prominent activist Sonam Wangchuk from the protest site last week. Wangchuk, who had been on a hunger strike demanding the education minister’s resignation, remains under medical supervision in a government hospital. His supporters have described the move as an unlawful detention.
Although Wangchuk briefly ended his fast before Monday’s march, he later announced he would resume it after witnessing what he described as police brutality against peaceful protesters.
Ahead of the march, representatives of the protest movement held talks with Health Minister J.P. Nadda to press three key demands: the resignation of the education minister, Wangchuk’s release from hospital and compensation for families of students who died following the examination controversies.
Protest leaders later dismissed the meeting as unproductive, saying it yielded no concrete commitments.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has so far not publicly addressed the protests, despite mounting criticism from opposition leaders. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi joined fellow lawmakers outside the prime minister’s residence on Tuesday, calling for greater public mobilisation in support of the students.
Political analysts say the demonstrations pose a growing challenge for the government, particularly as anger among India’s young voters continues to build. While they believe the movement still faces significant obstacles in forcing policy concessions, they warn that the government’s handling of the protests could further reinforce criticism that it has become increasingly intolerant of dissent.
With students once again filling protest sites across the capital, organisers vowed the movement would continue until their demands are met. Source: Al Jazeera